Caroline Lancaster

Caroline Lancaster, Hastings, East Sussex

I've had another look at Brede and found a burial for a Thomas Richardson there on 24 August 1835, age 58. That would give a birth of c1777.
There's no baptism at Brede for a Thomas Richardson in that time-frame.

The baptisms for children of Thomas and Mercy Richardson at Brede are as follows:-

Thomas 17 October 1803

Mercy 25 December 1804

William 29 July 1810

Sarah 22 May 1814

Martha 5 May 1816

James 23 August 1818

Henry 21 October 1821

You won't be able to get a copy of a marriage certificate for them as they married in 1802, and certificates (for birth, marriages and death) were only introduced with Civil Registration from 1st July 1837. Prior to that date you have to refer to the parish registers of baptisms, banns (only from 1754), marriages, and burials.

The original registers for the parish of Brede are held by the East Sussex Records Office (ESRO) at The Keep near Brighton, Sussex website at www.thekeep.info
As far as I know the Brede registers have not been microfilmed, but you can order and buy digital images. If you send an enquiry by email to ESRO they will tell you the charges for copying the register entry for you.

The marriage entry will give the couple's names, the parish where they were living at the time of marriage, and marital status. The couple and two witnesses signed the register or made their mark. The witnesses' names can be helpful but sometimes one of the witnesses will be the parish clerk. There is no info about their parents or where they were born etc.

Martha Richardson married Thomas Bateup on 14 December 1836 at Hastings, Sussex (All Saints parish) and they emigrated with daughter Sarah (Sarah Richardson Bateup bap at Brede on 25 June 1837) to NSW (Assisted Passengers) arriving 3 April 1839 aboard the ship Morayshire. Her parents were recorded as Thomas and Mercy Richardson, both of Brede, and no mention that they were dead.

I'm sorry but I'm not going to be of much help with this as I've not researched the Richardsons back into the 1600s. It doesn't look as if they hail from either Guestling or Brede.
The Guestling parish registers begin at 1606 and in the period 1606 - 1700 there are only 2 baptisms recorded for the name Richardson (or variants) - Joane on 2 December 1621 daughter of Thomas, and Ann on 13 June 1624 daughter of Thomas. There is a marriage for Thomas Richardson and Dorothy Godfrey at Guestling on 22 January 1621.

There are only 3 burials for Richardson (and variants) and the earliest is 1749.

At Brede the earliest Richardson baptism is 1729 and the earliest burial (for your Richard Richardstone) is 1712.

I notice that you give a date for Richard's birth as abt 1674. How was that calculated, do you know? If there is no baptism date and no age at burial I wondered how 1674 was arrived at.

Without any other info it's difficult to know whether Richard came from another area of Sussex or whether he came from another county (Kent would be my next guess). Richard was a farmer according to his children's baptism entries but that is all that I can find for him at the moment.
I'm sorry this is a disappointing reply.

Emma Lancaster born 1869 in Virginia is a completely different person to your great grandmother Emma who married William Nicholson. Trust me! Whoever did your research has made a mistake.

If you look at the 1900 census you'll see your great grandmother Emma with William Nicholson and daughter Viola and Emma gives her birthplace as Maryland and birth as August 1873. Quite different to 1869 in Virginia.

Emma the daughter of John and Annie Lancaster, born 1869 in Virginia, married Francis K Trogdon in 1890 and you'll find her with her husband and 4 children in North Carolina at 1900. Her parents John and Annie Lancaster are also in North Carolina at 1900. Annie was white not mulatto according to all her census entries.

The marriage cert for Emma Lancaster and Francis Trogdon is available via Ancestry and confirms her parents' names. Her father John F Lancaster was a Baptist minister and he performed the ceremony. Emma Trogdon's death cert (1947) also confirms her parents as John Lancaster and Annie Taylor.

If you check out the census entries and certs you'll see for yourself.
I have copies of the docs if you want to see them.

There is a death certificate (copy of the original document seen via Ancestry website) for an Emma L Trogdon, wife of Francis K Trogdon, and her parents names are given as Reverend John F Lancaster and his wife Annie Taylor, and Emma was born 30 May 1869 in Virginia. She was white and died 2 March 1947 in North Carolina.

At 1900 Emma Trogdon was living with husband Francis Trogdon in Guilford county, North Carolina.

Emma's mother Annie (Taylor) was born on 1 January 1843 and died 11 October 1912 according to her gravestone.

At the same time in the 1900 census in Maryland there is an Emma and William Nicholson and amongst the members of the household is a Viola Nicholson (relationship to William - step daughter) born March 1894 in Maryland, and also an Annie Lancaster (relationship to William - mother-in-law). Emma's birth is given as August 1873 in Maryland, and Annie Lancaster's birth is August 1847 in Virginia.

If you paternal grandmother was definitely Viola Lancaster, daughter of Emma Lancaster who married William Nicholson, then It looks to me as if you have gone astray because you have linked your family to the wrong Emma Lancaster (see above which shows the two Emmas at 1900).

You need to be looking at Emma Lancaster b August 1873. The other Emma born 1869 is not your line.

I'm still struggling to find any link with the Lancasters from Peasmarsh, Sussex, England.

John F Lancaster born 1826 in Virginia, married Dorothy A Taylor on 14 December 1858 in Henry County, Virginia. I've found him with wife (she always uses name Anna or Ann) in at least 2 census (in the 1880 there is a daughter Emma in the household) and in both of those census returns the birthplace for both of John’s parents is given as Virginia.

The John F Lancaster who died in 1910 was referred to on his gravestone as Rev John F Lancaster.

If John F Lancaster's father Thomas was born in Virginia (and Thomas himself showed on a census that he was from Virginia) then he couldn't be a Thomas Lancaster born in England.
Something's wrong somewhere along the line!

The gravestone for Thomas Lancaster and Susan (Chapman) gives his date of birth as 19 March 1793, and date of death as 11 January 1854. His wife Susan is shown as born 28 May 1795 and died 23 May 1865. You can see a photo of the gravestone via the website called Find A Grave.

At the 1850 census in Floyd, Virginia the place of birth for Thomas is given as VA.

If Thomas is linked to the Lancaster family from Peasmarsh, Sussex, England what information do you have that shows that link?

Do you know the names of the parents of Thomas Lancaster born 1793 in Peasmarsh? I have a lot of info for the Lancaster families from Peasmarsh but didn't know that one went to the US.
Did he marry Susan Chapman in England or the US?

There are no descendants of Thomas Lancaster and Ann Selmes who were born in Essex, England circa 1768.

They did have a grandson named John Lancaster who was born in Peasmarsh, Sussex in 1769 (son of John Lancaster and his wife Mary Filmer) but that John married, raised a family and died (1842) in Sussex, England. He definitely didn't marry Susan Parrott or go to the US.

I'm sorry to say that it looks as if you have linked yourself to the wrong Lancaster family.

Thanks for leaving a message about your Lancaster / Selmes family.
I'd be interested to know which of Thomas and Ann's children you descend from? Also, who in the family first emigrated to the US?
Hoping to hear from you again.

Charles Selmes Laurence (b 1886) and his brother William Victor Selmes Laurence (b1884) appear to be sons of Sarah Laurence who married John Beeching in the Hastings area in 1887. They appear together in the 1891 census and Sarah's birthplace is given as Elsted, Essex and her age as 27 (so b1863/1864). That should be Halstead, Essex and a Sarah Laurence of the right age was living in Halstead with parents Alfred and Eliza Laurence at the 1871 and 1881 census. There's a birth for a Sarah Laurence in the June quarter 1863, Halstead district. Alfred Laurence was born in Winchelsea, Sussex in 1821, son of Stephen and Alice.
Sarah (and her 4 children) must have left her husband John Beeching at some point after 1891 as she's not with him at 1901, although his marital status is given as 'married'. He has lodgers, a widow Martha Barnes and her children. I haven't found Sarah or the children at 1901 but I'll keep trying!

The father of William and Charles may well be a Mr Selmes, rather than that there is some connection with the Charles Laurence who was the second husband of Jane Selmes see Lynne's message.

Jane Selmes married Francis Porter Molloy in Rye in 1836 and they had a son William Strand Molloy born at Rye in 1837, before Francis died in 1839.
Jane remarried to Charles Laurence in 1849, Before she remarried she had a son Charles (birth reg 1848 as Charles Molloy) and quite probably also a daughter Susan Prudence Molloy born 1845 at Rye and buried there age 3 weeks.

It's good that your uncle has been able to confirm that Charles was a Laurence.
I expect you have the above info but thought I would include it to help with this 'Laurence'thread.

Charles Selmes Laurence (b 1886) and his brother William Victor Selmes Laurence (b1884) appear to be sons of Sarah Laurence who married John Beeching in the Hastings area in 1887. They appear together in the 1891 census and Sarah's birthplace is given as Elsted, Essex and her age as 27 (so b1863/1864). That should be Halstead, Essex and a Sarah Laurence of the right age was living in Halstead with parents Alfred and Eliza Laurence at the 1871 and 1881 census. There's a birth for a Sarah Laurence in the June quarter 1863, Halstead district. Alfred Laurence was born in Winchelsea, Sussex in 1821, son of Stephen and Alice.
Sarah (and her 4 children) must have left her husband John Beeching at some point after 1891 as she's not with him at 1901, although his marital status is given as 'married'. He has lodgers, a widow Martha Barnes and her children. I haven't found Sarah or the children at 1901 but I'll keep trying!
The father of William and Charles may well be a Mr Selmes, rather than that there is some connection with the Charles Laurence who was the second husband of Jane Selmes see Lynne's message.

If there are any family historians / genealogists who are interested in the Selmes family (occasional spelling Selms) from St Leonards or any other parishes in East Sussex (or anywhere else in the UK or around the world), then please leave a message as I may be able to help with info or connections.

I have direct Selmes ancestry myself and have a one-name study for Selmes, so am always keen to make contact with others researching the families.

The National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) shows that Albert Edward Tilbury died on 2 June 1944 and his address was Rokeby, Stone Cross,
Westham, Sussex. His widow was Rosina Emily Tilbury.

They are supposed to have been aboard the Earl Grey arriving 24 June 1841. According to the records of James Harvey he says he is 'son of Thomas on board', George Harvey says parents are 'Thos and Sarah on board'and Philadelphia Jenner says parents are 'Thomas Harvey a labourer and Sarah Shoesmith imigrants on board'.I've tried to find them in the Assisted Passengers list but not succeeded yet!

If you have access to the Ancestry website then you will find her under the name Susanna Dunk which has been mistranscribed as Donk. She was not married to Jesse Dunk with whom she travelled.

James' brother John Jenner is also aboard the Florist and he gives his mother's name incorrectly as Sarah. The demise of William Jenner has not yet been traced. Susanna Jenner was buried 1871 at Eagle Vale, NSW.

I think that your gr gr grandfather James William Pepper was born in 1840 at Sedlescombe, and baptised there on 13 February 1842, parents James and Mary.
I don't know whether you have tried to trace his birth registration but it comes up in the GRO Index as Tepper rather than Pepper in the September quarter of 1840, Battle district.

Philadelphia and her husband James Jenner and 2 children Sarah and Charlotte arrived in NSW, Australia aboard the ship Earl Grey on 24 June 1841.Their daughter Mary Ann born in June 1832 died age 2 weeks at Mountfield.

If there are any family historians / genealogists who are interested in the Selmes family (occasional spelling Selms) from Wittersham or any other parishes in East Sussex or Kent(or in fact anywhere in the UK or around the world), then please leave a message as I may be able to help with info or connections.

I have direct Selmes ancestry myself and have a one-name study for Selmes registered with The Guild of One-Name Studies, so am always keen to make contact with others researching the families.

There is a registered one-name study for the surname Dengate. If you visit the website for The Guild of One-Name Studies and enter Dengate in the 'Is your surname registered?' search box on the home page you'll find more details.

The website has moved since I left that message. It's now at
http://members.iinet.net.au/~rgkje/eldridge/families.html

Robert Eldridge (1837-1913) was the son of Robert Eldridge and Mary Overy. He was married to Mary Sophia Jenner in 1869 and then following her death in 1879 he remarried to Mary Georgina Dobell in 1880.

Thank you for getting in touch via this site and for the interesting family info.
As you'll see from my reply to Sheila's message, Henry Freeland Selmes was the son of Mercy Selmes, and she didn't marry Mr Freeland. It was common practice for mothers of illegitimate children to include the child's father's surname as a forename. Then if the couple married the mother's maiden name could be dropped. In this case they didn't marry, so strictly speaking his surname was Selmes and not Freeland. So if you are a descendant of Henry's then you are one of the Selmes family.So far all the Selmes I have found are from one big family.

I will get in touch with you via Ancestry to give a bit more info on Selmes or you can contact me via my Guild e-mail address Selmes at one-name dot org

Yes the Northiam parish registers have been transcribed but I don't think you will get anything from them to help with the names of John Gadd's parents. I think that the transcript of Northiam marriages just has names of bride and groom and the date of the marriage, and not witnesses and whether or not the parties signed or made their mark.
As the marriage is pre-1837 the register won't include parents' names anyway, although occasionally if one or both of the couple are under 21 you might get the name of a parent consenting to the marriage.
The names of the witnesses could be helpful and if you can trace the marriages for John's siblings that could help too e.g John may have witnessed a marriage.
The Northiam registers have been microfilmed and so I would suggest that you get a photocopy of the marriage entry from the East Sussex Records Office which has this week opened in new premises called The Keep at Falmer, near Brighton. You can order copies by post if you don't live in the area.

Do you have the baptism dates for John's siblings? If not I can help with that.

There was a couple John Gadd and Sarah Curd who married at Northiam on 21 October 1805. They had children baptised at Northiam - William 1806, Thomas 1808, William 1810, Stephen 1812, Sarah 1814 and Mary 1816 (died 1816).

There is no burial for a William Gadd between 1806 and 1810 at Northiam so I wonder if the William baptised in 1810 was actually your John, and that the baptism register was completed incorrectly.

In his will dated 1806 Samuel Selmes of Sedlescombe (1717-1807) left £20 to “... my great grandson Henry, son of my grandson Henry Freeland Selmes..” According to the baptism entry for Henry Freeland Selmes at Mountfield on 25 April 1775, he was the baseborn son of Mary Selmes. Amongst his children, Samuel Selmes had a daughter called Mary and a daughter called Mercy. Mary Selmes married John Richardson in 1764 and they lived at Bexhill where they had four children, the last one (called Mercy) being baptised in April 1776. I do not think that she is the mother of Henry Freeland Selmes. However, Mercy Selmes had an illegitimate daughter Rebecca Selmes (father’s surname shown as Lingham) in 1777 in Hooe and then later married Samuel Ticehurst at Hooe in 1785. The entry in Samuel Selmes’ will for Henry Freeland Selmes appears directly after the bequests to Mercy’s children. I have not seen the original Mountfield baptism register entry, relying on a transcript only.However, in my experience it is not unusual sometimes for the name Mercy to appear as Mary in registers etc. So, all the evidence points to Mercy Selmes, and not Mary, as being the mother of Henry Freeland Selmes.

As both Henry and his bride were quite young when they married they may have chosen a parish away from their homes to marry secretly. I don't have a copy of the original marriage entry.

There is a baptism for an Aaron SERJEANT at Westfield on 1 November 1807, son of James and Ann. They are probably the couple James Sarjant and Ann Pankhurst who married at Sedlescombe on 24 June 1792. James was noted as being ‘of Whatlington’ at the time of their marriage but I think he came from Battle. They had children baptised at Battle and then Westfield and both James and Ann were still alive at the time of the 1841 census, living in Battle. Ann Sargent was buried at Battle on 16 March 1845, age 78, and James Sargent on 14 December 1857 age 84.

If you would like to contact me for more Selmes info my One-Name Study address is selmes at one-name dot org

Henry Freeland Selmes (baptised Mountfield 1775, son of Mercy Selmes) had a son Henry (born 1801 at Sedlescombe) and who seems to have used the name Freeland rather than Selmes. Henry Freeland married an Ann(e) Watson at Rye on 25 October 1819. Ann's age was given as 39 at the 1841 census and her burial entry in 1849 shows age 45. I don't have any further info to confirm Ann(e)'s origins, I'm afraid, but she could be Ann Watson, daughter of Sarah and Stephen, baptised at Sedlescombe on 4 November 1804. Stephen and Sarah also had a son Edward baptised on 25 December 1806 and I notice from the 1841 census that there is an Edward Watson and his family shown at the next entry after the Freelands.

I have had second thoughts about the location of Farthing Cottage. I was confusing it with something else. It is in Battle, not Catsfield. My apologies – I’ve been away from my birthplace Battle too long!

Farthings was one of five gunpowder mills in the area located on the Asten Stream (now called Powdermill Stream). They were House, Farthing, Pepperingeye, Lower Pepperingeye and Crowhurst. My great grandfather James Morgan (1823 –1922) worked at the House mill from 1852 until the closure in 1874 and was the last surviving employee of the mills . I’d think your ancestor John Robinson was a worker at the Farthing mill as he lived at Farthing Cottage. In a book called ‘A Tapestry of Battle’ written by The Battle Writers’ Group in 2002 there is a chapter devoted to the history of gunpowder manufacture at Battle. There is a list of some employees at the mills and there was a James Robinson who was a foreman, taking over from James Saxby. No other info. I wonder if he was connected with your John. There is a lot of info about the mills at the website founded by my late cousin Ivor White and continued by his son Tim, and the web address is battle-abbey dot co dot uk When you find the website go to the menu on the left and you'll find a link called Gunpowder and in the articles there is an old photo of Farthings Pond.
I hope this is useful and happy to help further if I can with ancestors from the Battle area or East Sussex generally.
Best wishes Caroline

I think that Farthings Cottage is located at Catsfield which is near Battle, rather than in Battle itself. If you search Google for Farthings Cottage you'll find, amongst other things, a Catsfield walk which mentions the cottage and it seems to be a B&B house now.
There is no baptism for John at Battle parish church but he was buried there on 13 June 1852, age 47.
John Robinson and his family appear with the surname Robertson rather than Robinson at the 1851 census and his birthplace is given as Folkestone, Kent.

Ann Selmes was born at Brede 1717, parents Walter Selmes and Sarah Pain.
The child of Thomas Lancaster and Ann Selmes that you are missing is the eldest child - Mary Lancaster born 1739 at Westfield. She married Nicholas Russell at Herstmonceux, Sussex in 1769.

Charles Lancaster married Mary Patience at Peasmarsh in 1743. I have a baptism for Mary Patience at Peasmarsh in 1723 so she would have been about age 20 at marriage, not 12. Where does 12 come from?
Also I have John Lancaster's year of death as 1801 not 1802.He was buried at Peasmarsh on 17 May 1801. There is no burial for a John Lancaster at Peasmarsh in 1802.
Do you connect through the line of Ann Selmes and Thomas Lancaster?

If there are any family historians / genealogists who are interested in the Selmes family (occasional spelling Selms) from Brede or any other parishes in East Sussex (or anywhere around the world), then please leave a message as I may be able to help with info or connections.
I have direct Selmes ancestry myself and have a one-name study for Selmes, so am always keen to make contact with others researching the families.
Best Wishes,
Caroline

Thank you for contacting me via this site.
I have been unable to find a baptism for Jesse Selmes but the only Selmes couple having children at Brede at the time of his birth (c1790) was John Selmes and wife Elizabeth Eldridge who married at Brede on 29 October 1772.
John and Elizabeth had at least another 11 children besides Jesse, although several did not survive.
If you’d like to contact me via my Guild of One-Name Studies address I’ll be able to give you further info on the Selmes family. My address is selmes at one-name dot org

If there are any family historians/genealogists who are interested in the Selmes family (occasional spelling Selms) from Westfield or any other parishes in East Sussex, then please leave a message as I may be able to help with info or connections.
I have direct Selmes ancestry myself and have a one-name study for Selmes, so am always keen to make contact with others researching the families.
Best Wishes
Caroline

You can buy a copy (book form or CD) from Hastings & Rother FHS www.hrfhs.org.uk. Click on Publications and then scroll down to Longley Publications. An order form is available to download from a link at the top of the publications page.

I am researching the Selmes families (from anywhere, anytime)and recently have been looking at the family of Thomas Lancaster and his wife Ann Selmes who married at Westfield in early 1739. They had a family of 6 children and lived at Peasmarsh.
Thomas had a brother Charles Lancaster who married Mary Patience in 1743 and they too lived at Peasmarsh raising a large family.
If you have connections to these families I may be able to help with info.

William Selmes (1763 -1809), laterly living at Brede, married Elizabeth Cornelius in Appledore in 1786 and they had 10 children altogether.
I've received your e-mail and have replied giving more detail.
Best wishes
Caroline

Thomas Lancaster b1794 in Peasmarsh, Sussex and his wife Sarah Carpenter married in 1818, and lived in Ivychurch, raising a family there. Is anyone researching their family history and has connections with this Lancaster family?

I have a transcript of burials at Battle cemetery (which is in Marley Lane, Battle) and there is a burial for Leslie Frank Handford on 15 November 1979. He is shown as being age 69 and retired.His grave reference is DB 103. There are no other people with the name Handford listed in the transcript (covers to 2002).
I hope this is helpful.
Best wishes
Caroline

Elizabeth Bacchus was baptised, and her parents married, at the parish church at Beckley - All Saints.
I have a transcript of baptisms, marriages and burials at Beckley. The original parish registers are held at the East Sussex Record Office (ESRO) at Lewes. Beckley registers have not been microfilmed so for earlier periods you may not be able to view the originals yourself and may have to rely on transcripts. You may be able to obtain a copy of the baptism and marriage entries if ESRO can copy them digitally.
Solomon Selmes married Jane Roots at Northiam on 29 October 1777. Their son Solomon was born before they married and he was baptised on 6 July 1777 at Northiam.
I have a one-name study for the surname Selmes (registered with the Guild of One Name Studies) so if you'd like to contact me at
selmes at one-name dot org I can give more info about the Selmes family.

There is a baptism at Beckley for Elizabeth Bacchus on 7 July 1765, daughter of John and Elizabeth. As Elizabeth Rootes was shown as being 31 when she was buried at Northiam on 20 April 1797, I think this baptism could be the one you are seeking.

John Bachus married Elizabeth Selmes at Beckley on 9 April 1760.
Best wishes
Caroline

There's a birth registration for a Dorothy May Cruttenden in the September quarter 1897, Hastings district. At 1901 she was age 3 and living with parents Albert ( a coal merchant's labourer) and Rose, and siblings Mabel 6,. Lily 5 and Harry E age 2 months and Rose's mother Elizabeth Collins also in the household at 9 Union Row, Hastings.
In 1917(March quarter, Hastings district) Dorothy married William N Anderson.

I am researching Selmes families from Sussex and all around the world, and have registered my One-Name Study with the Guild of One-Name Studies.
If you have Selmes ancestry I would be very pleased to hear from you.
You can contact me via the Guild's website or by e-mailing me at address below.
Best wishes
Caroline Lancaster
selmes at one-name dot org

Thank you for offering info about the Smith family. I am related just by marriage to the Gander family via my great uncle James Morgan who married Anna Maria Gander (born 1845 at Bexhill). They emigrated to Wisconsin, USA.

Simon Selmes, born in 1790, son of Stephen Selmes and Esther / Hester Hubbard, died in January 1797 age 6 (just a few days before his 7th birthday)and was buried at Bodiam.
The Simon Selmes who married Ann Matson in 1802 was born c1781, the son of Simon Selmes and Sarah (Sal) Aylward.
Please feel free to get in touch with me at cdlancaster at yahoo dot com
I have a lot of Selmes family info.
Best wishes,
Caroline

I think Susannah Selmes is the daughter of Simon Selmes and his wife Sarah (Sal)Aylward who married at Mountfield on 7 February 1777. They married by licence and Simon was 'of Sedlescombe' at the time of marriage.
They had several children and Susannah appears to be their daughter baptised as Suky Selmes at Sedlescombe on 11 February 1779.

If you'd like to contact me direct you'll find me at cdlancaster at yahoo dot com

Susanna Selmes married William Genner at Mountfield on 20 October 1800.
I have baptisms for 3 children for them using spelling Jenner.
As for Susanna's baptism I don't have it, but will look for you.
Best wishes,
Caroline

Edmund Selmes married Sarah Gallop at Ore on 21 November 1831. They had 7 children baptised at Ore, with William being the eldest and he was baptised on 5 May 1833.
If you’d like more info on the family just let me know.

Hello CarolynI have beem researching my Eldridge family from Battle for many years and have a lot of info. If you'd like to get in touch my address is cdlancaster at yahoo dot comI'm an Eldridge from Battle although I no longer live there.Kind regardsCaroline

Edward Eldridge, husbandman of Westfield, married Jenny Smith at Brede on 25 April 1765. They had two children baptised at Brede - Jenny on 8 November 1767 and Jesse on 18 October 1778.They are the only children I have found.

There is a burial at Brede for an Edward Eldridge on 26 April 1816, age 79.
It is thought that Edward could be the Edward Eldridge baptised at Sedlescombe on 11 May 1738, son of William Eldridge and Sarah Payne. The Edward buried at Brede in 1816 would be the right age.

Rebecca Eldridge was baptised at Whatlington on 24 March 1816, parents William and Sarah.
Richard Thomas was baptised at Mountfield on 5 February 1815, parents William and Mary.
Rebecca Eldridge and Richard Thomas were married at Mountfield on 25 July 1835 and lived at Sedlescombe, where they are both buried. They didn't live at Westfield as far as I can see.
William Eldridge was baptised at Battle on 6 August 1779, son of James and Mercy, and he married Searah Mewett at Battle on 18 August 1800.

I've been researching some Cornwell and Cornwall families in the Heathfield area, so if you are researching your family history and have Cornwell / Cornwall ancestors I may be able to help.
Robert Cornwell born 1794 in Warbleton, later lived in Heathfield, is of particular interest to me.
Best wishes
Caroline

Yes, you're right, Solomon Selmes was the youngest son of Simon from Sedlescombe.
Solomon was baptised at Whatlington on 6 April 1798. His parents were Simon Selmes and Sal (Sall/Sarah) Aylward who married on 7 February 1777 at Mountfield.

I've got quite a lot of info for the Selmes name, particularly in East Sussex, so please feel free to contact me for further info.
e-address cdlancaster at yahoo dot com

The details of the marriage of David Richardson to Mary Levett at Eastbourne in 1814 came from a transcript of Eastbourne marriages 1754 -1837 which I have in booklet form.

If you have the 1841 census entry for the couple at 1841 then you'll see that they had 3 children living with them then - George, Mary and Charles.
Mary was born 13 May 1816, baptised 20 March 1817 at the Ebenezer Independent Chapel at Alfriston, son of David and Mary of Battle; and Charles was born on 14 September 1823, baptised on 28 June 1829 at the Ebenezer Independent Chapel at Alfriston, son of David and Mary of Battle.
At the 1851 census Mary, George and Charles were still unmarried and living at home, plus there was another son William age 37.
I haven't seen baptisms for George or William.
Also there is a baptism at Battle parish church for a James Richardson son of David and Mary on 28 March 1828 followed by a burial for him on 9 April 1828 age 1, son of David and Mary.

Robert Thomas Richardson was bap 4 May 1759, the son of Henry Richardson (bap Brede 1727) and Sarah Sweetlove.
This isn't my line so I haven't researched much further back. If I have a chance I'll look into the earlier Richardsons and let you know.

I think he's the David Richardson who was baptised at Brede on 31 July 1791, son of Robert and Sarah. David married Mary Levett at Eastbourne on 8 November 1814 and he was 'of Hastings St Clement' at the time of marriage.

Robert Thomas Richardson was baptised at Brede on May 1759, son of Henry and Mary.
Robert married Sarah Muddle at Brede on 2 May 1781.

I agree - the Selmes folk are a fascinating family to research. They give their children unusual names too,and seem to like those beginning with the letter S. As Selmes is usually mistranscribed by Ancestry, having unusual first names is very helpful in tracking them down.

It's extremely unlikely that Gillinger Selmes was a lawyer.Looking at the census entries, the occupation reads as sawyer to me.

I have 11 children for Simon Selmes and wife Ann, all baptised at Rye:-
Spencer bap 1803, he died in Chichester, Sussex in 1848; Nelson bap 1807 who was transported to Tasmania; William born c1808, possibly the William who died age 76 in 1880 in Rye district; Jane bap 1811, your ancestor; Gillinger bap 1812, died in Tenterden area,Kent in 1877; Charles bap 1814; Prudence Sarah bap 1817; Caroline bap 1820, married William Barnes in 1841 and went to Australia 1843; Eleanor Aylward bap 1821, buried 1821; Eleanor Hilder bap 1823, buried 1823; Alfred Simon bap 1826.

My Selmes line comes from Stephen Selmes b1752 in Sedlescombe, who was a younger brother of your Simon born 1745.

At the 1901 census (31st March) your grandfather Walter Ralfe and his parents William and Mary Ann and elder siblings William George and Charles were living at Houghton Green near Playden. At 1911 (2nd April) Walter and his father William, step-mother Sarah, and brother Charles were living at Pleasant Farm, Ulcombe, Kent.
At 1891 (5th April) William, Mary Ann and William George were living at 2 Waterhouse Court,in Southampton.

I don't know anything about the Lee family, but they didn't die in the Battle area.
Mabel Dorothy Lee died in 1979, in Brighton district, and Victoria Maud Lee died in Hove district 1990. I couldn't find an entry for Ada Lilian Lee.

Stiles Garage is still at 2-3 Upper Lake.
You might find the following website of interest www.battle-abbey.co.uk
It was started by my late cousin Ivor White and is being continued by his son Tim.
Ivor White was in the Battle Home Guard and if you go to the above website you will find a link for Battle Home Guard on the list on the left and then if you click on the link to George Charman's Pictures you will find your father appears in two of the photos.
One photo is noted that he was the manager of Englefield's garage (now Stiles garage). Les Englefield appears in another part of Ivor White's website -click on Archive pages and then Battle musicians.
Les' daughter Janet also features on the website - Archive Pages, then A Visit to the Battlefield.
I met Janet when she was over in England for that visit.

There is a baptism for a Charles Hider at Rye parish church on 30 January 1831, illegitimate son of Mary Hider. He appears at the 1841 census at Rope Walk, Rye as Charles Hyder age 9, living with his mother Mary, who married Henry Reynolds in 1838 (Tenterden district, December quarter). Henry is called John in the census entry, but correctly as Henry at 1851. There are also siblings William Hyder age 11 and Henry Reynolds, 9 months in the household.

There is a baptism at Brede on 5 July 1801 for a Mary Hyder Welfare, baseborn daughter of Sarah Welfare.

Besides Charles, Mary also had other illegitimate children baptised at Brede - James Moon Welfare on 30 January 1820, son of Mary Hyder Welfare; Samuel Welfare on 27 October 1822, son of Mary Hyder Welfare. Then a William Hyder was baptised on 29 January 1833 at Rye, son of Mary Hyder.

There is evidence in the maintenance records and warrants to arrest putative fathers held at the East Sussex Records Office at Lewes showing paternity for Mary's children.
George Moon of Westfield was named as the father of a son born at the poor house to Mary Hyder on 4 January 1820; Charles Fletcher of Brede, a cooper, was named in a maintenance order dated 13 March 1821 for a boy born to Mary Hyder; Samuel Baker of Brede was named in a maintenance order dated 12 November 1822 as the father of a boy born to Mary Hider ; James Reynolds, a mariner of Rye, was named as putative father of a boy born on 24 March 1830 to Mary Hyder.

I remember Frank Anderson (1900 -1967) and Pal Wait (Pelham Wait, 1890 - 1970)from my childhood days in Battle in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Frank's smock is in the Battle Museum.

They also organised the Good Friday marbles matches played on the Abbey Green. I can remember scrambling about trying to catch the marbles which were thrown to the children, and the free hot x buns handed out.

There's a good photo of them in the Hastings book from the Archive Photographs series compiled by Tony Wales, and also in Bygone Battle by Aylwin Guilmant.

Simon Selmes (bachelor of Mountfield) married Ann Matson (spinster of Rye) at Rye on 28 December 1802. So,he couldn't be Simon Selmes, son of Stephen and Esther/Hester Hubbard because he would have been too young to have married in 1802 and also because their son Simon died in 1797 - buried at Bodiam 15 January age 6, and 'of Mountfield'.
More likely your Simon could be the Simon Selmes baptised at Ewhurst on 15 July 1781, son of Simon (no mother's name) but likely to be Simon and Sarah (Sal).

According to the transcript I have, Thomas Burgess was the widower, not Ann Richardson. The fact that she was 'of Ewhurst' when she married indicates that that was where she was living and does not mean that that was where she was born. As her birthplace is given as Brede at the 1851 census (and age appears to be 67, but the entry is messy), I would think that Brede is more likely to be accurate.

As you'll know, there is a baptism for an Ann Richardson at Brede on 11 June 1787, daughter of Robert and Sarah and also one for Ann Richardson on 2 January 1783 at Ewhurst, daughter of John and Mary.

To complicate matters, there was another couple called Thomas and Ann Burgess- Thomas Burgess married Ann Tomsett at Brede on 3 July 1815. There's a baptism for Ann Tomsett at Brede on 22 August 1790, daughter of Thomas and Mary.

I don't have anything else for Ann Richardson from Brede, but happy to help further if I can.

I think that Mercy Relf's parents were John Relf and Mercy Elizabeth Hobden who married at Brightling on 12 February 1836. All the evidence points to John Hobden and his wife Sarah Simpson as being Mercy's parents. As is common with the Hobdens at that time, there is no baptism for Mercy Elizabeth Hobden in the parish registers.
At 1841 John and Mercy were living in Brightling and were enumerated as John and Elizabeth Relf, with 3 children John age 8, Elizabeth age 4 and Mary age 1.

If you'd like to get in touch to exchange more Hobden family info please contact me at email address cdlancaster at yahoo dot com.

I have traced 8 children of John Hobden and Sarah so far so would love to share/discuss this with another Hobden researcher/relative.

Following on from my earlier message - if James Brett's wife was called Mary then she could be the Mary Brett who appears in the census at 1851 and 1861 as a married woman born c1805 in Sydenham, Kent. At 1851 she's working as a cook at 42 Marina, St Leonards and at 1861 at 15 Grand Parade, Hastings.
There is a burial for a Mary Brett age 66 at Hastings Cemetery on 19 January 1871, and at the 1871 census James Brett's marital status appears as widower (whereas previously it has been 'married'.
Worth investigating.
Best wishes
Caroline

There is a birth registration for a Hannah Brett at Hastings district Sep q 1842.
Under the spelling Britt there are birth registrations at Hastings district for Esther Sep q 1839, James March q 1841 and John Sep q 1846.
Richard might have been born before 1 July 1837 and so would not have been registered.

There is a marriage for a James Brett (widower) to Mary Sticks at St Mary Magdalene, St Leonards on 22 August 1836. That might be them.
I have a couple of connections to Brett and Britt families and find it best to check both spellings as they can be misread and misheard.
I hope this is helpful.
Best wishes
Caroline

I am interested in the Gander family at Bexhill, particularly descendants of Walter Gander (1823-1865) and his wife Emma Smith. Their surviving children were Anna Maria (b 1845), George Thomas (b 1847), Louis Henry (b 1849), Peter Newman (b 1851),and Walter (b 1860). Peter Gander had a carriers business in Bexhill (at Belle Hill and later at Station Road) until early 1900. Anna Maria and Louis Henry emigrated to USA.

There's a marriage given in the IGI/FamilySearch (and the GRO Index) for James Cooper Proctor and Katherine Dawes Saunders Adamson on 9 August 1855 at Rye.
Looking at the 1851 census, Katherine Adamson (age 16, born Rye) was living with her parents John and Jane at Middle Street, Rye. John Adamson is shown as being a GP, age 52, born Lambeth, Surrey, and wife Jane age 50, born in Devonshire(Devenport?). Weeden Adamson was Katherine's brother, age 20, an architect and surveyor.

At 1841 the Adamson family - John and Jane and 7 children- were living at Middle Street, Rye. The IGI shows a marriage at Rye on 19 January 1826 between John Adamson and Jane Saunders.

Hello Ray
I don't have any connection to the Douch family, as far as I'm aware, but thought I'd help with a little research. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website records that William Henry Douch was 29 when he died on 31 July 1917 and was the son of Lydia Elizabeth Douch of School Hill, Burwash.
William Henry Douch appears to have been born in early 1888 in Burwash, and was the son of Edward Douch (born Mayfield 1853) and Lydia Elizabeth Jenner (born Burwash 1861)who married in 1881. At the 1901 census they were living at School Hill and there were 6 children in the family - Annie, Edward, William, Charles, Ellen and Kate. I believe there was also a further son George born in late 1901

If anybody is researching connections to the Richardson family from Brede, I have a lot of data from the parish registers, census, etc and contacts with others researching their Richardson roots, so may be able to help you.
I have connections via my 3xgreat grandmother Rose Richardson born at Brede in 1796.
Best wishes
Caroline

Richard Hobden (1760-1818) is my 4xgreat grandfather. He married an Elizabeth and they lived at Penhurst, Sussex, neighbouring parish to Ashburnham. However, she was not Elizabeth Vincent.That was another Richard Hobden who married Elizabeth Vincent.
The marriage for our Richard and Elizabeth has not been found, quite possibly because there is no marriage register for the parish of Penhurst covering the period 1754 - 1797.
Richard Hobden (1760-1818) had 6 siblings and he had about 9 children with his wife
Elizabeth,including Richard bap 1783 at Penhurst, my 3xgreat grandfather.

You have my personal e-mail address to continue the exchange of info.
Best wishes
Caroline

I'm repeating the message I sent to you via the Westfield site as our Eldridge families are from Battle originally and the info may be helpful to other Eldridge researchers.

" I've got Eldridge births from the GRO Indexes up to 1927 so far, and looking at 1919-1927 there are no further Eldridge birth registrations where the mother's maiden name is Wright.

Take a look at Robert Eldridge's excellent website
www2.hunterlink.net.au/~ddrge/genealogy/families.html
You'll find our Eldridge tree on there, including Emery's family. Bob is always keen to hear from Eldridge researchers and happy to receive new info and correct any mistakes. His e-mail address is at the bottom of the website page."

I've got Eldridge births from the GRO Indexes up to 1927 so far, and looking at 1919-1927 there are no further Eldridge birth registrations where the mother's maiden name is Wright so it looks as if there were no further children.

Take a look at Robert Eldridge's excellent website
www2.hunterlink.net.au/~ddrge/genealogy/families.html
You'll find our Eldridge tree on there, including Emery's family. Bob is always keen to hear from Eldridge researchers and happy to receive new info and correct any mistakes. His e-mail address is at the bottom of the website page. He's a distant cousin of ours.

I suggest you head for the East Sussex County Records Office (ESRO)at Lewes where the parish records are held.
There isn't any kind of archive at Battle as far as I'm aware although there is a museum, and the Battle Historical Society has a small collection of books.
ESRO is the place to go, and the staff are very helpful there.
Kind regards
Caroline

There are 29 Vidler and 35 Mephem (and variants) buried there between 1862, when the cemetery opened, and 2002.
There are too many to list but let me know any specific names and I can check a transcript of the records.

I have a marriage for Samuel Veness, bachelor, to Sarah Stonestreet, spinster, at Battle on 10 January 1781.
The only baptisms at Battle that I have for children of Samuel and Sarah Veness are:-
Thomas 18 May 1781; Ann 20 June 1800; Henry 22 May 1806.
I couldn't find a marriage in Sussex for Thomas Veness and Mary Grant but there was a marriage for a Richard Venes and Mary Grant (of Brightling) at Battle by licence on 21 June 1730.

I hope this is useful, and I'm happy to look further in my resources for Sussex if you can give parishes, approx dates etc.
Best wishes
Caroline

Yes, 35 Lower Lake is still there. My Mum was born there in 1916 and members of her family lived there until only a few years ago.
What a coincidence! Did your mother live there pre or post 1916?
Best wishes
Caroline

I'm researching my Hobden family from Ashburnham and Penhurst area, particularly the family of Richard Hobden and wife Elizabeth and their son Richard and his wife Lydia. If you have Hobden ancestry leave a message. I have lots of Hobden info so may be able to help.

I replied to your message promptly but my reply has not appeared, so here it is again.

I'm descended from the family of Samuel Selmes and Elizabeth Baker via Stephen and Hester/Esther Hubbard. Their daughtet Hester/Esther is my 4 x great grandmother. She married James Pankhurst of Battle.

I have some baptisms, marriages, and burials for the surname VENESS at Battle parish church and in nearby parishes (e.g. Ashburnham). If you'd like me to check my records I'd be happy to do so. Can you give me more info on the Veness family you're interested in?

I am researching SELMES families in East Sussex, particularly from the Mountfield, Netherfield, Battle, and Sedlescombe areas.
If you have Selmes ancestors I may be able to help you, so leave a message.

It was called Newbery's and my Grandfather and parents and an aunt all worked there too.

The factory was in the High Street and originally was Newbery Bros (Battle) Ltd but later changed to Newbery Preserves. The factory closed c1980 and the site went for development and is now Abbey Court. A wrought iron sign Newbery Preserves was erected above the entrance to Abbey Court in memory of the factory.

I hope this is useful. Info taken from the book ' A Tapestry of Battle' by The Battle Writers' Group.

Hello Diane
If you are going to be hunting for graves at Battle it's worth noting that the churchyard at Battle parish church was not generally used for burials after 1862 when the Battle Cemetery was opened. That is located in Marley Lane.
There was a James Spears buried there on 23 July 1884. He died on 19 July and was a labourer aged 68. Buried in area ref ACM. Also a George Spears age 82, a retired PC, on 2 May 1949, burial area ref CB 35.
There was a total of 7 people with the surname Spears buried there between 1877 and 1977,
Kind regards
Caroline

I have checked my records taken from Westfield parish registers and find that I do have an entry for a baptism for a John Eldridge on 27 July 1817. He was the natural son of Amy Eldridge, a pauper. There are also baptisms for 2 other children of Amy Eldridge - William on 17 April 1808 and Henry on 9 December 1812.
I don't have any further info on Amy, though.

Hello Tracey
Have you looked at the excellent Eldridge website run by Robert Eldridge at www2.hunterlink.net.au/~ddrge/genealogy/families.html
It includes info on the family of John Eldridge and Mary Ann Catt.
Robert is always pleased to hear from Eldridge family members and researchers, and to receive new info or corrections to his data.
My own Eldridge family is from Battle but I have a lot of info on families in East Sussex and am happy to help when I can.
I'm connected to the CAREYs from Westfield too, so hello to you Noreen and Ruth!
Kind regards
Caroline

Will Tucker: Hello Will
I am interested in the Selmes name too, and have some baptisms for Selmes at Brede noted from a transcript of the parish records. There's a baptism on 26 May 1833 for a Mary Ann Selmes, daughter of James and Mary, and a marriage for James Selmes to Mary Ann Ford at Brede on 22 November 1831.
I don't have a marriage noted for Mary Ann Selmes to James Porter and if some of their children were using the Selmes surname when they married it would first suggest to me that James and Mary Ann didn't marry.
Best regards Caroline

Ted Lunt: Dear Ted
The parish registers for St Mary's church at Battle are held at the East Sussex County Records Office (ESRO) at Lewes, East Sussex. The Battle parish registers have not been microfilmed so you would be able to view the original register but would not be able to obtain a photocopy of an entry.
There were/are other churches/chapels at Battle - Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Congregational (now closed and turned into a shop). If you are unable to visit ESRO, Lewes yourself I might be able to help you by checking the register next time I visit.

The Stone House building still exists. It opened as the Battle Union Workhouse in 1834 and became a cottage hospital c1929. When I was still living in Battle (up to 1976) it was a hospital for geriatric patients but it closed in the early 1990s and after standing empty for a few years was developed into apartments. It's called Thatcher Place after Frederick Thatcher the original architect from 1834.

I checked the birth registration index for the June quarter of 1928 and there is an entry for Nora R Penfold, in the Battle district, mother's maiden name Western . There is no other registration for a Penfold birth at Battle district in that quarter, nor a death, so if it is true that your mother was one of twins the other baby must have been a stillbirth. There is no public index of stillbirths.

I am from Battle myself, although I have now moved away. Most of my families come from Battle and surrounding towns and villages and I have been researching my family history for many years. I also research professionally, specialising in East Sussex.

I hope this is of help to you. More info and pictures of the Stone House at
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/Battle/Battle.shtml